1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to insulated containers for keeping food, drinks and other items cool or warm, and is specifically concerned with a collapsible insulated container.
2. Related Art
Self-supporting multi-purpose containers and coverings are used for packing, storing, transporting, and insulating food, beverages, and other items that need to be kept warm or cool for a significant storage period. The containers maintain a desired internal temperature for a period of time dependent on insulating capacity. Currently, cooler containers such as lunch boxes and bags, larger picnic coolers with rigid walls, and the like are merely insulated with foam, filled with ice, or alternatively a gel pack previously cooled in a freezer is placed into the container adjacent the item or items to be kept cool. Ice used in coolers melts and can make the items wet, making it unsuitable for use with certain types of food items. It is also bulky and takes up a significant amount of space in the cooler in order to provide adequate cooling. Loose gel packs used in such containers can often be lost, and also take up an amount of space which could otherwise be used for food and beverages.
Some known lunch bags on the market have an icy type of gel substance in the lining of the container walls. However, such containers are typically bulky and take up a relatively large amount of space in a freezer when cooling. Other containers are known which contain gel material in the walls for cooling or heating purposes, but these are also bulky and difficult to fold into a compact condition.